Second Chance
by gemsofformenos
Summary: Azula knows, who is knocking at the door of her new office. She had finally dared to ask for this meeting, but now she isn't so sure, whether this was a good idea or not. But now here they are, she in her new office and her mother outside, waiting for her permission to enter... Continueing/Expanding my old story 'A Way Back Home' (could count as a bonus chapter)


**Hello everybody. ****It has been almost a year, since I have started to write a bit and 'A Way Back Home' and my version of an redemption for Azula was my very first story and my first steps in writing. I have payed with the idea for a while to return to this story and today I have decided to do so with this One-Shot. In the last chapter of 'A Way Back Home', Azula had asked Kiyi to tell their mother, that she wanted to speak to her and now Ursa is standing before her office...**

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**Second Chance**

Azula felt her heart speeding up instantly, as she heard the knocking at her door. She knew, who was standing outside in the corridor before her new office. She had ask Kiyi to call for her, but now she wished she hadn't done so. She wouldn't tell her something new. She would only repeat the same lame phrases, all these empty and meaningless excuses and lies. Sometimes she thought, that her talent for lies and manipulation wasn't her fathers heritage.

A second knocking ripped her out of her thoughts. Azula sighed heavy and corrected her outfit. She was still in the breathtaking gown, Ursa had chosen for her for this day. It wouldn't make things easier.

"Come in, mother."

Ursa entered the office, carefully, like she almost expected a trap. How fitting, in Azula's opinion. She tried to ignore her bubbling anger and frustration and nodded at the chair in front of her desk.

"Take a seat, mother."

Ursa gave her a shy smile and nodded, before she walked over to the chair and took seat.

"You look gorgeous, my dear. I..."

Ursa's try to open up the conversation was instantly ended by Azula. She had only to raise her hand and roll her eyes to make her mother's mouth stop talking.

"Spare me with your flattering, mother. Your compliments, honest or not..."

Azula bit her lip and took a deep breath to calm herself down a bit. For the first time, she had ask for a talk, so she shouldn't start snapping even before a conversation could really start. She could see the pain in Ursa's eyes and for the first time it wasn't the reaction she wanted to cause. Not for just following her invitation. Her voice was less harsh and hostile as she started again.

"Platitudes and smalltalk won't settle this mess between us mother, so better we spare our breath for the real talk."

Ursa's face got serious and Azula was a little surprised, that her mother only nodded at her. Something in her look seemed to change. The Princess could feel that Ursa was completely focused on her.

"You're right, Azula. Talk and I'll listen, no matter how hard your words will hit me and I'm sure they'll hit me very hard."

Azula raised an eyebrow in surprise. Something in the look of her mother was adamant. She had expected excuses or suggestions, promises how sorry she was, like she has done before, but now she was just sitting there and waiting. Azula waited some seconds and took a last breath…

"You've betrayed me, mother."

It was harder than she had expected to vocalize these words. It was like the first punch in a fight, but in this case her enemy was just sitting there and accepting the hit, only waiting for more.

"You've abandoned me long before you've left us."

The second punch was easier, yet her mother kept word and accepted this one as well. Azula saw the pain in Ursa's face, but she could also feel her own emotions bubbling up.

"You haven't fought for me like you have fought for Zuko. You have protected him, you have given him all your love, all your attention and protection and every time when I have tried to get this too, you have pushed me away."

Tears came to Ursa's eyes. They were running down her cheeks, strong and steady, but her look kept focused on Azula, paying attention to every syllable, every changing in her daughters voice and face. It was like hot steam coming out of a pot directly in Ursa's face.

"You have only seen my mistakes, you have never been proud of my achievements. You have yelled at me, punished me, when I haven't acted the way you wanted me to be."

Azula hadn't recognize, that she was on her feet measuring the length of her room behind her desk.

"You have accused me, called me a monster for my actions in secret, when you thought I wouldn't hear it. You have never tried to show me why I was wrong."

Blue flames were leaking out of Azula's fists, as she slammed them on the table, facing her mother with burning anger and frustration.

"You have left me to fathers mercy, you haven't fought for me, mother! You have allowed him to make me his pawn! How could you have done this to me? Why wasn't I enough to be loved and protected by you, like you've done it with Zuzu? Why have you loved Kiyi this way too, but not me. Why have you tried to replace me with her? Why have you decided to forget you children, mother. Why have you given me up?"

She didn't recognize, that her own tears were falling hot and free, but she recognized the tortured look of her mother in front of her.

But Ursa didn't wince back.

She did something, Azula never had expected from her.

She reached out her hand and took Azula's, beside the fact that blue flames were still dancing around her fingers. She did this careful, but without any sign of fear or hesitation. Ursa was trembling heavy and her breath was shaky, but she placed the back of Azula's right hand on the open palm of her left one and faced the shaken look of her daughter. Azula's fire were still dancing on her open palm, as Ursa guided her hand towards her face.

"Because I failed to see the truth, Azula."

The distance between the hand and her mother's face melted, but the flames grew higher.

"Because I failed to be the mother you needed."

The hand was now near Ursa's cheek and Azula was sure, that her mother must feel the heat radiating from her flame.

"Because I was too scared and too weak to fight for you. I was so lost, so isolated and so damn blind."

Azula's eyes widened as she recognized, that the heat of her flame started to burn some single hair strains of her mother. The biting smell filled the room, but Ursa still brought her hand closer to her cheek.

"There can never be an excuse for my mistakes, only explanations."

She sobbed heavy and Azula noticed, that the heat of her flame must have started to hurt her. She wanted to wince back, but Ursa had a surprisingly iron grip at her. Her eyes were red cried, but there was a sudden fire in it, which elicited Azula a gasp.

"First he has made me be afraid for you, like for Zuko, than he has made me be afraid of you. He has shown me, how futile any of my tries would be to protect you and your brother. It was his triumph to see me loosing you and later Zuko."

Deepest pain was written in Ursa's face and Azula's eyes shot wide open. It wasn't her flame, which was hurting Ursa the most in this moment. It was her mothers failure, her shame and helplessness which was torturing her. It was all the misery, she has brought in Azula's life.

"I still hear his words. 'You'll see, I'll value and treat Azula the highest and Zuko the worst, but in the end, it won't matter. You'll loose them both. They'll become all you hate the most. You can try what you want, but in the end they'll only be like me.'"

The tortured look of her mother let some color fading from Azula's face.

"It has broken me, Azula, shattered my mind, clouded my discernment, it was like Ozai had been always a step ahead, making me always choose the wrong move at the wrong time."

Azula's flame flickered brighter on her palm, while her mouth was standing agape. She stared in shock at her mother.

"He has managed, that fear remained my only guidance. The fear for you and your brother and which makes me feel so ashamed, the fear before you and his achievements, he has reached with you. He has broken me, Azula. He has broken me on you. Not on Zuko on you. He has managed to make me fear you, Azula."

Ursa pressed her eyelids together and Azula felt her grip tighten around her wrist.

"But this fear must end today. I cannot let my fears be an excuse for my faults."

Ursa's tears started to run stronger and Azula felt her knees getting soft at the look of her mother. She couldn't remember, that she has ever seen her looking at her this way before, full of pride and… trust.

"I'm sorry for what I have put you through, Azula. I love you."

She smiled so warm at her… and pulled Azula's hand at her cheek.

The time itself seemed to hold a breath as Azula's palm touched the skin of her mothers cheek.

Seconds passed…

"Mom…?"

And then Ursa cried uncontrollably, while she nuzzled her head against Azula's hand. The blue flame was gone, the Princess had let them die before she would have burned her mother's cheek.

"Mom..."

Another cry of relieve escaped Ursa as she pulled her daughter as close to her as possible.

"I don't fear you anymore, Azula. I'll never fear you again, I promise. I never had planned to replace you Azula, it has been so wrong to give up my memory. I was so wrong, but… but…"

The rest got drown in tears, while Ursa clawed herself in the gown of her daughter. Azula's head was spinning but she could feel her own grip tighten around her mother, while she pressed Ursa's head in her palm and against her middle. Her own sobs filled the room, but for the first time she didn't care. All she cared for was the love of her mother in this moment, this honest love she could feel for the first time since years.

They had no clue how much time had passed, as Ursa released her out of her grip. Azula had to aid her standing up, because she was still trembling heavy, but she was smiling so warm and relieved at Azula. The Princess smiled back at her, but then her face got serious.

"This doesn't mean, that everything is fine again."

Ursa nodded at her, but Azula noticed the pride on her mother's face and she was nearly sure, that she and her quote was the reason for it.

"No, I know. Too much has went wrong between us."

She placed her own hand on Azula's cheek, similar like she had placed her daughters hand on hers before.

"But now I know, that things will get better. Now I know, that you believe me, when I say, that I love you and that I trust you."

Azula leaned her head against her mothers hand, which let Ursa's smile grew.

"I wasn't the mother you have needed in your past, Azula. I feel so sorry and ashamed for letting you down. Nothing can make up the misery my failure has caused for you, but I want to be the mother you might need now. The one, who supports you, who loves you unconditionally, the one, who helps you to deal with all the scars you had to take because of me."

Azula nodded at Ursa and her mother took her hand back with a sigh. It seemed a bit strange to come back to a normal conversation after this outburst of emotions, but Ursa managed to make the transition. She looked at her daughter from head to toe.

"You look so beautiful, Azula."

Azula rolled her eyes.

"Liar. My make up is ruined thanks to you."

She observed Ursa's reaction and her lips curved up to a smirk, as she noticed a carefree snicker from her mother.

"You're right, but this doesn't change the fact."

Ursa nodded a goodbye to Azula and was about to go, when Azula's nervous voice made her stop.

"I know that Kiyi wasn't born to replace me."

Ursa stopped in the frame of the door and turned back with a wet glitter in her eyes.

"You've done a good job with her. She's convinced me, that I should give you a chance."

Ursa pressed her hands before her mouth to muffle a teary sob. Azula chewed on her cheek, but finally she dared to admit it to her mother.

"And I'm glad, that I have dared to make this step."

She saw her mother rushing back to her and the next thing she felt was a thankful kiss on her forehead. A sigh escaped Azula's lips, while she was stroking the back of her mother.

"Kiyi, you're missing your chance to join us..."

Ursa frowned in confusion at Azula, until a bookshelf was sliding beside to open one of the secret passages. Azula smiled warm at her little sister, who was still crying in joy. She crushed into her mother and sister, pressing herself close at them.

"You couldn't resist, could you?"

Azula tried her best to sound mischievous, but failed it in the end. Kiyi shared a teary but unbelievable happy look with Azula and her mother.

"Would you have resist such a chance, Azu?"

It brought the tears back to Azula's eyes, as she shook her head.

"No Kiyi."

She shared a warm look with her mother.

"For nothing in this whole world.

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**This one here could be seen as some sort of an bonus chapter. It is a scene, which some of you had hoped to see in the story and so I decided to write it as a One-Shot to say thank you for all your support during the last year. A big hug to all of you.**


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